The Forgotten Guardian
by J.M. Speed
Summary: After years of searching for answers to the Pharaoh's pastYugi and friends are about to face their greatest challenge yet.But what if someone else was searching for answers to the ancient past also?And what if their destiny determined the Pharaoh's fate?
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: Hello everyone and welcome to my first fanfiction! I am new to the site so please bear with me if there are a few mistakes here and there, I promise to fix them up as soon as possible. This will be a slightly different take between end of season 4 going into season 5 with a few twists. Reviews are welcomed and encouraged please-if there's anything I can do to improve, or ideas you want to see it's appericated! First chapter is a little slow, but I promise it will pick up in the next few. Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing of YGO _

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><p>It wasn't supposed to be like this. Not her, not her family. This was the sort of stuff she'd seen in movies, on T.V., the people you watched and pitied because it happened to them. There was no way this was happening to her; her father had to still be alive out there somewhere. It was just the two of them now; ever since her mother died her dad looked after her, raising her on his own. No one else really bothered with them, not even their much wealthier relatives and only family. Her father promised her he'd stay by her side never leaving her, always being there for his little girl.<p>

"_If he promised me he'd stay, than why did he leave me?"_ she thought as the tears trickled down her cheeks. The gentleman in front of her shifted uncomfortably, sorrow in his eyes as he looked at the teenager, miserable that he had to be the one to bring the bad news to the poor kid. "I'm so sorry Ms. Carter," he whispered, doing his best to try to comfort her while still being professional, "He was a good man, a fantastic archaeologist, and…" he trailed off as she looked up at him tears still in her eyes as she tried not to break down, "…above all, I am certain he was an incredible father." The girl closed her eyes and hung her head, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. "Yes…yes he…" she stopped and opened her eyes to look up at the man, as a sudden thought struck her, "Wait, you…you said that although there was a collapse on the dig site, his…his body was never found?"

The stranger looked at her quizzically for a moment, than noticed the glimmer of hope in her eyes. Sympathy grew in his eyes as he understood the question, "No, no a body was never found Ms. But you must understand that the massive force alone of the falling rocks could have crushed-" "So he could be alive…" She mumbled, a spark returning to her eyes, "Dad could've made it out. Might have been tough but he always was able to-" "No! Please you have it all wrong," the man interjected, "After the whole tomb ceiling caved in, we tried to look for survivors I assure you. But after we were able to penetrate the rock we realized that there was no alternate way to escape for cover if possible." He shook his head, "He couldn't escape. I'm sorry for your loss Ms. Carter, but William lost his life in that cave in."

"No he didn't." the girl replied, fire in her eyes, "Dad has been there loads of times before on excavations, and never once was there an accident on his watch. The tombs were always inspected before they began to dig, and he wouldn't have gone in if it wasn't safe for him or his team."

Getting slightly frustrated, the man did have to admit he liked her spirit, her determination that William had made it out. But her stubbornness was beginning to take its toll on him, "Look," He sighed, "If he did make it out in any way, there is only the slightest chance of any that he did. There is a 1% chance out of 100 that he escaped from that place. As for safety, those tombs and pyramids are over five thousand years old, obviously it's a danger to go in them no matter what condition they are in. You never know, some structures appear to be sound on the outside, but have tons of problems on the inside that can turn any situation nasty." After receiving a glare from the teen, his temper got the best of him, "And just how do you think your dad made it out? It's nearly impossible to say that he did!"

Raising her chin, she gave him a defiant look and answered, "My father didn't perish in that accident. I can't explain it but I know he survived and made it out." Pausing, she closed her eyes, and fingered a small, gold locket that hung on a chain around her neck. A single eye, carved out of gold rested in the middle of the circular pendant. Her father gave it to her years ago after coming home from a dig in Egypt, explaining that he saw it and "just knew it was meant for her". Ever since that day, it had become her most prized possession. Opening her eyes, she faced the man and continued, "He IS alive. And he WILL come back. Even if it means me flying to Egypt to find him, he will be found alive."

Slightly stunned, the man opened his mouth to counter, than closed it, deciding better of it. Giving a slight bow he replied, "As you wish Ms. Carter. I… hope you have a pleasant evening." She nodded, "Thank you for coming by, I appreciate it. Johnson? Please show our guest out." She motioned to a grey haired butler by the door who nodded, "Please Sir, this way." He gestured through the large double doors. The man turned to leave but glanced back one last time at the girl, "Whatever you do to find your father I…wish you the best. But if you don't…please understand what I tried to tell you today." He stated, than turned back to leave, his footsteps echoing on the marble floors.

As the doors shut, the girl let out a long breath she'd been holding and fell back on the antique sofa. Closing her eyes, she recalled the conversation she had with the man on her father's archaeology team. Briefly, she wondered if his words were true, if her dad really was gone, but quickly shoved the thought aside. _"No,"_ she thought, _"Dad wouldn't let that happen. He knew that tomb like the back of his hand anyways. If there was a way out, he must've used it. There's no way he is dead."_

"Ms. Carter?...Ms. Paige, can I get you anything?" The girl, Paige Carter, opened her eyes and offered a weary smile to the concerned maid that approached her. At 15, Paige was a pretty girl with long chestnut hair that fell to the small of her back, a single white bow holding a few strands of hair away from her face. Brown bangs nearly covered the chocolate orbs that blinked exhaustedly at the servant. "Hmm? Oh, no-no thank you Marie, I'm okay." The maid narrowed her eyes in confusion at her mistress before stating, "But Ms. Paige, you've had a long day, and the news of your father's-"

"My father is not dead." Paige answered firmly, "He is out there somewhere. From now on, no one is to speak as if he is gone. He IS alive." Realizing the battle already lost, Marie bowed to her before leaving the room, resulting in Paige to slump against the couch to reflect on the current events.

"_Now what to do,"_ she moaned, _"Should I just wait for him to come home? Do I go to Egypt myself and try to find him? But with school…well, screw school, but if my cousins find out...well would they even care?"_ As she weighed her options, Paige reached for the T.V. remote on the matching antique table. The whole room was covered in floor-to-ceiling French windows with a massive fireplace in the center. A large flat screen T.V sat above the fireplace, flushed with the wall. Countless antique furniture pieces were artfully placed all over the room, offering the parlour space a tasteful and attractive appeal.

Turning on the set, she automatically chose one of her favourite stations, the Dueling Network. Leaning back into the sofa, she tucked her legs underneath her as she began watching a regional tournament between a Rex Raptor and Jameson Reed, wanting to focus on someone else's problems rather than her own for a bit. As the Duel Monsters game proceeded, she couldn't help but yawn occasionally. "Trap card," she called just as Reed sent a monster to attack, only to be stopped by a face-down card set by Rex.

As the poor kid ended up loosing half his life points, Paige felt her heart go out to him. Once, she had been like that, an amateur practising and studying countless weeks to train for regional tournaments, hoping to get the opportunity to duel against the pros. She smiled at the memory of the late nights she spent coming up with strategies and combos to use against potential threats as she progressed in the leagues. But it never was for the money, or, hell, even the glory. Paige duelled because she loved the game-the logical thinking, the strategizing, the thrill, everything. The deck she strove to prefect was one of her most treasured items, put together with careful thinking and planning. All that hard work, and here she was now, one of the top duelists in the world, ranked 3rd if you cared.

Right behind her oh-so-loving cousin and the highly acclaimed "King of Games". Oh her cousin hadn't been too happy at all when he was kicked off the number one duelist spot, but Paige couldn't stop grinning for weeks that someone had finally put the magnificent Seto Kaiba in his place. She'd love to high-five the guy who did that, her role model ever since he won Duelist Kingdom, Yugi Moto.

And yes, for those still initially shocked, Paige Carter was a first relation to the two Kaiba Brothers. Related to the family on her late mother's side, as she was the sister to one of the corporate empire's wealthiest members Gozaburo Kaiba, she left her brother in a furious state when she declared him to be a corrupt man and left to be with her father, internationally recognized archaeologist Dr. William Carter. When her cousins were adopted, Paige briefly developed a close friendship with them, resulting in a couple of fun play dates. But due to the constant stress from all the work her uncle was putting on her older cousin Seto, those days soon ended. Now they barely talked, except for Mokuba, who still opted to keep touch with her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the new regional champion; REX RAPTOR!" declared the announcer on the television. Snapped from her thoughts, Paige watched as Raptor stepped forward to receive his trophy and prize money from the man. "Congratulations Rex!" the man beamed, offering a large grin to the kid. The guy accepted the trophy with a greedy smile and waved to the cheering crowd. As the program ended, she couldn't help but shake her head at the twerp on T.V. "Duel Monsters not all about winning bucko," she muttered to the figure on screen, "It's about playing with heart, honour, and courage." Realizing she just repeated one of her idol's famous lines, she couldn't help but smirk a little at her own comment, _"Definitely need to lay off the Tournament shows."_ She contemplated.

Stretching her arms above her head, she yawned as reality came crashing around her once again. Struggling to come up with a plan to prove her dad's death was in fact, false, Paige deliberated on several schemes that could help her to find her missing father. _"I suppose I could try to fly there," _she mused, _"But we don't own any jets or helicopters…unless I pay for a ticket-but even though we have the money to do so, it's still so expensive to just get to his excavation site. Unless…"_ Glancing towards a phone on a nearby coffee table, Paige hesitated, _"No. No way am I asking him… But maybe…maybe HE might…"_

Cautiously picking up the phone, she took a deep breath and punched in the phone number, praying that the right person would answer her call. She held her breath as the phone rang; once, twice, three times, than… "Hello? Kaiba Corps Head Office, Mokuba speaking," relief chorused through her as her unbelievable luck at reaching her relative-or at least the one who was speaking to her. "Hello?" Came the reply, "who is this? How were you able to reach the CEO's office without going through reception?" Releasing the breath she'd been holding, Paige spoke, "Hey Mokuba. Long time no talk huh?"

A quick pause came from the other end of the line, followed by, "PAIGE? Wow, it's been a bit yeah! How've you been?" "Me? Umm not too bad, I've had better days, " she mumbled, smiling slightly at the chance to speak with her relative again, "And you?" A laugh came from the boy, "Awesome! Seto's new gaming technology is selling fast-business is booming!" he exclaimed. "Cool, that's good to hear, glad he's adjusting well to his position," Paige replied as she readied herself to propose her plan, "Actually Mokuba, the reason I called you was to…well, ask a favour…" she began. Silence echoed on the other side as she crossed her fingers, praying he'd comply, "What kind of favour?" came her cousin's response. "Well…have…have you heard what happened to dad?" she stuttered. "Your dad? Nothing, why?"

Paige's eyes grew wide. Glancing down to a picture on the table taken of the two of them two years previous, she quietly recounted the events of the day and explained the situation to him. "So, you see Mokuba, I was wondering if I could borrow one of your jets so I could get to-"

"Never." Came a much deeper voice, surprising Paige, "There is no way I am letting you go on a wild goose chase to Egypt just to find out your father really is dead." Cursing under her breath, Paige replied, "Hello Seto, nice to talk to you again, pleasure as always." Realizing that sarcasm wouldn't help her, she sighed and continued, "Look Seto, I know the two of us hadn't talked in ages but please, I need to find a way to Egypt as soon as possible. Dad's down there somewhere and-" "Save it. I don't have time for your childish games. You're not going to take one of our aircrafts there and that is final." Growled the reply. "But Seto! My father is trapped there, and I need to find a way to get to him fast. You are the only one who could help me to find him. Please!" She begged. An icy silence followed, before he answered, "Your father was lost in that accident Paige. I doubt he'll ever be found; dead, or alive." And with that, the phone went dead.

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><p><em>Review please!<em>


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer:_ _I own nothing of YGO but Paige_

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><p>Mokuba Kaiba watched as his brother slammed his hand down on the intercom button, ending the phone call. Jumping slightly at the fierceness of Seto's actions, Mokuba stared warily at the older Kaiba as he sat down in his office, closing his blue eyes and running a hand through his brown hair. Keeping his body rigid, he spoke quietly, "Mokuba, why did you answer that? Why did you talk to her?"<p>

Glancing down to stare at his sneakers, the boy replied, "…Because she's family Seto, probably all we have left. And… I miss talking to her. We used to play together all the time remember? Before our step-father really cracked down on your studies." Opening his eyes to stare at his brother, Seto briefly reflected on the memories where the two brothers spent a couple of weeks on the Carters' manor. Sure they had fun times, but that was all in the past. And Seto Kaiba **never** looked back into the past. As he tried to regain his cool, Mokuba tried to recall what got his brother so riled up.

The two of them had been inside his office, Mokuba watching T.V. on the flat screen as Seto was working on his laptop. When a minor issue downstairs called for Seto to come investigate, Mokuba remained in the room, deciding to stay to watch the remainder of a regional championship duel. When the phone on the office desk rang, an unrecognizable number on the display caught the boy's eye, as usually all calls were first put through the reception desk, never directly connected to the office.

Hesitantly, he pushed the speaker button, cautious as to who would be on the line. When the cheery voice of Paige floated into the room, he couldn't help but smile. Seto hadn't spoken to her in years, leaving Mokuba the only one willing to keep contact with her. They chatted for a few moments before she told him her dilemma, her father's supposed "death", and how she needed help to get to Egypt to try to find him.

Just as she asked him to borrow one of their jets, his brother's voice floated over his shoulder-cutting her off. Mokuba had backed away as Seto carried on the conversation, apparently having heard the whole thing. What really disturbed Mokuba were his brother's final words as he ended the call, telling Paige that her father was gone, never coming back. Still unsure as to how his brother got so upset, Mokuba took a few steps closer to the desk.

"Bro, is everything okay?" He asked, "Why were you so mad when Paige called?" Seto sat there silently for a couple of seconds, before abruptly standing up, "I'm fine Mokuba, don't worry about it." He answered, turning around and walking out the door, "Come on, we have a meeting to get to." Sighing, Mokuba scampered after his brother, still curious as to what was wrong. "Hey wait for me!"

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><p>Domino City was a gorgeous place in the spring time. The people were always cheerful, happy to be free of the cold weather, and the flowers were blossoming into beautiful hues of pinks, blues, reds, and violets. It was the season of rebirth, as new life flourished everywhere, causing a warm and peaceful atmosphere. Spring seemed to have a positive effect on everyone, including a particular group in Domino High School.<p>

"Ahh! What a beautiful day!" exclaimed the lone girl in a group of four students as they left school for the day, "it's too nice a day to spend inside." Tall and slim, with chin length dark brown hair and bright blue eyes, the girl turned to her friend, a shorter boy, with spiky black and red hair with yellow bangs. "How'd you find the test today Yugi?" she smiled. Yugi Moto, the "King of Games" and top Duel Monsters player in the world gave a sheepish smile as he tugged on the chain of his Millennium Puzzle, "It was alright," he replied, "There were some tough questions though." A tall boy with shaggy blonde hair and brown eyes beside him groaned, "You're telling me. I'm pretty sure I blew the whole thing, and last night I was up studying for hours…" To the blonde's left, another tall boy with dark brown eyes and hair in a mohawk-style cocked an eyebrow and smirked, "Are you sure you were studying? Because last I checked you were up late watching the end of the regional semi-finals tournament on T.V. Joey."

"Can it Tristan." Joey grumbled, looking away from him down to Yugi, "And besides, I bet Yug here skipped a bit of studying to watch too huh?" "Umm…" his friend began, turning to face him "Actually Joey I skipped watching it last night in order to get more studying done."

Widening his eyes Joey moaned, "Ah-no, not you too! Can't believe I screwed up a test because of a tournament!" "Hey, next test we'll all help you," Tristan replied, trying to calm down their friend, "and Yugi, Tea and I will help you ace the next one." "Right!" Tea nodded as Yugi smiled.

"Aww, thanks guys," Joey grinned, "next test we'll all rock it!" As the group continued their way home, chatting about school and up coming activities, they soon arrived at a small two-story game shop of the corner of a street. Outside the store, an old man with a beard and grey hair wrapped in an orange bandana hummed to himself as he swept the area around the store. As the teenagers approached, he looked up from his work and smiled cheerfully at the group, offering a wave, "Hello everyone!"

"Hey Grandpa," Yugi grinned as the gang made their way to him, "How was your day?" Solomon Moto stretched his arms and continued, "Not many customers today, but I'm not complaining, gives me some time to enjoy the sunshine while it lasts!" he chuckled, "How was the test?" Multiple answers flew at him at once, mumbles of "It was okay," or "I messed up on a couple, but I think I did well," or "Not bad." Joey's response was the worst as he ignored the question altogether, choosing to stare completely absorbed at a new display in the card shop window.

Noticing this Solomon smirked, "Too busy watching the semi-finals last night Joseph?" he asked. Almost immediately Joey wheeled around to face him, "WHAT? Me? Skip studying a test in favour of a tournament? No way! I just was taking a study break to let my mind rest up for it."

"Oh it rested up all right, for a good four hours give or take." Tristan snickered. "HEY! WHO ASKED YOU?" Joey yelled as Tristan continued laughing. "Hey, think of it this way," Tea countered, "At least it's over, and that one didn't count for as many marks. There's always the next one. However we'll need to keep you away from a T.V. for awhile when studying." She finished.

"Yeah," Yugi agreed, "But we've also had some pretty intense action happen the past couple of weeks. After all, we did kind of save the world from evil." He paused, and looked around at his group of friends, smiling, "We've been through lots in the past little bit. If anything, I think we all deserve a little break."

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><p>"I could <strong>so<strong> use a break right now!" Paige groaned as she fell down onto the couch. The once spotless parlour room was littered with papers containing various phone numbers, as Paige had frantically tried to reach any of her father's friends, co-workers, and acquaintances, pleading her case to all to help her find a way to Egypt to search for her dad. All of them had sympathized with her when they first spoke, assuring that they would be there to help her with anything she needed. However, whenever she brought up her need to journey to Egypt, insisting that her dad was alive, they all sighed and gently told her he wasn't coming back. "_Poor child,"_ they all thought, _"It's so hard on her to loose her only family that she refuses to believe he's gone."_

The people she called had all politely refused to help her, explaining that by going, she'd only feel more pain over his death by going to the dig site.

Although still determined to continue the search for her father, Paige couldn't help but feel slightly crestfallen at her cousin's words from earlier.

"_Your father was lost in that accident Paige. I doubt he'll ever be found; dead or alive."_ As Kaiba's words echoed in her head, she shook her head and sighed, "Stupid selfish jerk." She hissed, holding back the stay tear that threatened to fall. "What am I supposed to do now?" she wondered out loud. Nobody was willing to help her, thinking she'd feel more sorrow than comfort if she went to Egypt. The only one who seemed willing to help her had been Mokuba and well…look how that turned out.

Wrapping her fingers around her locket, Paige closed her eyes, _"I know you're alive out there somewhere dad,"_ she thought, _"No matter what, I will find you, some way, somehow." _

The sound of a door opening awoke her from her thoughts as she opened her eyes to see the kind-faced butler Johnson standing before her. "Hey Johnson," She grinned sheepishly, "What can I do for you?" The man bowed, "Ms. Paige, "he began, offering a smile in turn, "Your presence is requested in the video room. A gentleman is on call for you." Paige blinked at him in confusion, furrowing her eyebrows, "The video room?" she repeated. The video room, or "conference room" as it was rarely called was where her father had spent on video chat with fellow archaeologists, professors, and specialists from all over the world in between digs.

Paige rarely ventured in there, only times she ever did were to chat with her father when he was away on business, so the thought of someone calling for her surprised the girl. _"Unless it's…"_ she pondered, feeling butterflies in her stomach at the possibility of it being her dad trying to reach her, "Johnson, did the person calling say who they were?" She asked hopefully.

The butler nodded, "Oh yes. I believe it was master Mokuba who called you, and might I add he seemed in quite the rush to speak with you? Almost like he didn't want to be caught talking to you."

"Mokuba?" Paige replied, taken aback, _"Why would he be trying to reach me again? _she wondered as she leaped off the couch. "Thanks Johnson!" she yelled over her shoulder as she bolted from the parlour. The older man chuckled good-naturedly as she practically soared through the double doors. "Not a problem Ms. Paige, glad I could cheer you up."

Dashing up the grand staircase in the two story 19th century manor, Paige bolted to the east wing where the video room was located. Skidding to a stop in front of the door, she took a deep breath and stepped inside. The lights had been dimmed, and a circular table took up most of the room, bare except for a large screen that filled up most of the opposite wall. On the screen, a raven haired boy fidgeted constantly, looking up when she approached.

"Paige!" Mokuba grinned, his eyes lighting up when he saw her. Paige returned the smile as she closed the door and took a seat at the table, "Hey Mokie, what can I do for you?" she asked quietly. Her cousin's smile faded as he looked down, "I just…I wanted to apologise for Seto's actions earlier. I don't think he meant to do that, I mean, if anyone can relate to you it's us right now and we are family…"he trailed off. At first hesitant of his words, Paige felt her heart warm up as the younger Kaiba stuttered to apologize on his brother's behalf. "Aww Mokuba," she whispered, "You don't have to say sorry to me, you didn't do anything wrong. Don't apologize for your brother's behaviour."

"But Paige," he began, " He wasn't like that on purpose, he's under a lot of stress right now from-" "I am pretty sure that it was on purpose," Paige cut in angrily, standing up, "no one would "accidentally" tell someone that they believe their father is never going to come back home-that he's either death or going to die!" she finished screaming.

Seeing Mokuba's shocked and slightly hurt face, she sighed, "I'm so sorry Mokuba. It's this whole thing with dad. I guess…I guess I really am stressed out about all of this and…" she sighed again, "I should've have yelled at you. I'm sorry."

"It's okay!" Mokuba said, on somewhat a lighter note, "Actually I think Seto's in the same boat as you too. You see, we're planning to hold a Duelling Expo within the next two weeks." Paige jolted slightly at his words. "A…a Duelling Expo? What's that?" she questioned, sitting down again.

"Oh it's going to be one of the coolest things ever, right after the Grand Championship Tournament of course!" he laughed, "It's not officially a tournament, but rather duellists will come from all over to get tips from the top pros and witness some duels between them," Mokuba explained. Paige quirked an eyebrow at him, "It kinda sounds like a tournament to me." She mused. "You mostly will be talking to fans, offering tips and autographs and such." He countered, "but there will be loads of duelling action too, don't worry!" he winked.

She returned a smile, but hung her head and replied, "It sounds fun but…I have to find a way to get to dad." She raised her head to look up at him, 'And besides," she continued, "Wouldn't Seto throw me out if he saw me? I'm sorry but, I don't think I'd be able to go anyways."

Mokuba paused, before responding. "Not quite." He began, "You see, between running the company and making sure the tournament's running smoothly, he's going to be pretty busy. I don't think he'll be able to catch most of it anyways as he's kind of behind the scenes most of the time. You'll be okay." The offer was tempting to Paige, but…"Still though, my dad…" she trailed off. "Don't worry, I have it worked out," He smiled, "See, our helicopters will be patrolling around the whole Expo, during the duels. Once the tournament's over, I can sneak you on one of them to get you to our private airport, and from there, a plane to Egypt." He explained. Surprised and grateful for his offer, Paige wanted to accept it-badly. However… "But your brother. If you, if we get caught-" "Look Paige," Mokuba sighed, "If you want to find your dad, this could be your only way. Don't worry about Seto, leave him to me. Think about it; you get to have fun with duelling and can go to Egypt. So come on, what do you say?" He smiled. Pondering over his scheme, she look up at him and smiled, fingering her locket, _"If it's the only way,"_ "Mokuba," she stated, "you got yourself a deal."

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><p><em>Author's Note:<em>_ Thanks for reading, reviews are welcomed as always. Stay turned for chapter 3!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: This one's a bit longer than the others so far-hope you enjoy it! Special thank-you to RebellAngell21 for reviewing!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing of YGO_

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><p>The next morning, nestled in the cozy apartment above the small game shop, the proclaimed "King of Games" awoke to the sound of water pelting against the second story window. Rubbing his eyes, Yugi sat up in his bed and peered outside to glance at the miserable weather. Grey clouds loomed overhead as rain poured down upon the city, beginning the day with a depressing and gloomy feel.<p>

Gazing at the sight, he quietly reflected on the past events that had occurred in the last couple of years. The challenges he and his friends overcame with new rivals (most recently their adventure at Grand Championship), how he discovered his destiny to save the world from a great evil that plagued mankind centuries ago-only to rise again, and above all, how he had changed so much after meeting the spirit within his Millennium Puzzle; an ancient Egyptian pharaoh with no memory of his past life whom Yugi vowed to help.

"_We've been through so much together in the last few years,"_ he contemplated as he rested a hand protectively on his Puzzle, _"saving the world from countless evils threatening to strike, and little by little learning about the Pharaoh's past. We've learned so much, but at the same time so little. But there's still got a lot of ground to cover if we are to help the Pharaoh regain his memories."_

A soft knocking from the bottom of the stairs caught his attention as he turned his head towards the sound of ascending foot steps. "Yugi?" came his grandfather's voice as he climbed up to the bedroom. Shoving off the bed covers Yugi swung his feet over his bed and stood up as the older man came into view. "Morning Grandpa," he greeted with a smile once Solomon entered the room, "What's up?"

Solomon rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawned, still not quite awake. Although already changed into his work clothes for the day, it still surprised his grandson for him to be already up for the day, as usually around this time he wouldn't even move if he hadn't had his cup of coffee yet; and even than it was too early for that.

"Good mor-morning son," he replied, stifling another yawn, "There are some people who came to the door for you just now, wanted to speak with you about an upcoming Duel Monsters event from the sounds of it."

"A Duel Monsters event? Like a tournament?" Yugi asked as his eyes widened in surprise. His grandpa shrugged, "Something like that, and they want to invite you believing that as the reigning champion, you should come. It's a little too early to be talking about card games if you ask me." He grumbled.

"Okay, I'll be down in just a minute." His grandson answered as he made his way to the dresser to grab some clothes. Solomon nodded and turned to leave, "I'll tell them to wait for you in the living room." He called as he descended.

As Yugi rummaged around the draws, he felt the familiar sensation as the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle appeared beside him, leaning against the edge of the dresser with his arms crossed as he faced the window. In appearance, the two were both extremely alike, except the spirit was slightly taller than his counter-part, with sharper features that made him look a little older than Yugi.

"What do you think this event is that we're invited to?" the spirit, or "Pharaoh" as he went by questioned. Yugi pulled out his clothes and sighed, "I'm not sure; Grandpa said it seemed like a tournament, but not quite. However I can't see it being anything else besides that." The Pharaoh didn't answer, continuing to stare out the window for a moment before closing his eyes and replying, "Whatever it is though,…I think we should go." Yugi slammed his dresser draw shut and glanced at the ancient Spirit in surprise, "You sure? I mean, we haven't even found out what it is yet. And besides, we still have to find out more about your past."

The Pharaoh opened his eyes and turned his head to face Yugi, "I know, and somehow I have this feeling that this "event" might help us to uncover something; something huge about my past. I can't explain what it is," he continued, noticing his friend's concerned face, "But I know that it will aid us in finding out about my life in ancient Egypt."

Although curious as to why the Pharaoh was so keen on accepting the invite, Yugi understood that if he believed attending would help them figure out more of his past, it would be worth it. There was still so much to discover, so many questions to be answered, and if the Pharaoh believed that this event would put an end to some of those questions, that was enough for him. "You're sure about all of this?" Yugi asked, looking at his friend. The Pharaoh nodded, "Yes."

The boy looked up at him and grinned, "Alright than. Let's do it!" he replied. The Pharaoh returned the smile, "Thank-you Yugi." Yugi nodded and opened his mouth to say more when a voice interrupted, "Yugi! Are you still up there?" Realizing that the guests had been kept waiting, the Spirit vanished as Yugi quickly changed into his clothes, 'Coming Grandpa!" he yelled as he bolted down the stairs.

Hurrying into the living room, he was surprised to see two burly bodyguards dressed in black suits sitting on the small couch, standing up as he approached. The insignia on their jackets, a white "K" woven with a "C" caught his eye. "_Kaiba Corps. Bodyguards! What are they doing here? Is Kaiba hosting another tournament?"_ he thought as he entered. "Yugi Muto?" one of them asked. "Yes," Yugi began as he stopped in front of them, "how can I help you?"

The other guard, a man with short blond hair adjusted his jacket and replied, "You have been cordially invited to Kaiba Corps' latest gaming event; The Domino City Duelling Expo." Yugi blinked, "A Duelling Expo?" he asked confused.

The other guard nodded, "Yes, it's going to be a four-day event, meant to help players improve their duelling skills. The first two days will be young duellists coming and listening to tips from the professionals, gaining advice and training. They will be trading cards, learning strategies to improve their decks etc… The last two days will be a kind of tournament, with a lucky few amateur duellists given the chance to duel against the pros, and spectators will also get to witness some duels between the top ranked players in the world. Your presence there as the "King of Games" will definitely help encourage young duellists to push themselves to be their best if they could have the chance to duel against you."

The blond guard nodded, "Yes, and Mr. Kaiba requested to specifically invite you in person, as the top player in the world, and many fans would love the chance to get some tips from you. Would you be interested in coming?" he asked.

Yugi paused for a second, absorbing all the information that the guards had told him, "_So in a way it is like a tournament, but more than anything it's just giving out tips and helping others to improve their duelling."_ He contemplated. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the spirit of the Pharaoh and silently asked him, "_You still want to do this?"_ The Pharaoh nodded, "_Yes. Do you?"_ Rather than answer him, Yugi looked at the bodyguards and nodded, "Alright," he replied, offering a smile and glanced sideways at the Pharaoh, who also grinned before disappearing, "I'll come to the Expo."

"Excellent!" the guards exclaimed as one of them pulled an envelope out of his jacket and handed it to the boy, "This explains the whole Expo's schedule, outline, and your travel information. A car will come by to pick you up two days before the Expo begins, as there will be some exclusive information being giving to the pros that are speaking at the event. The Duelling Expo itself is scheduled to be held in about a week's time"

"Umm…thank-you." Yugi mumbled as the men shook his hand before heading for the door, "Not a problem Mr. Muto. Mr. Kaiba will be thrilled to hear you are coming, as well as many duellists too." One guard answered as his companion nodded, "Have a good day and we'll see you at the Expo." The other guard replied as they headed out into the rainy weather.

As the door closed behind them, Solomon strolled in the room, coffee in hand. "What was all that about?" he asked kindly as Yugi stared at the package in his hands. Looking up at his grandfather he sighed and sat on the sofa, "It's a bit of a long story." He said with a small smile.

* * *

><p><em> Slowly, she edged through the dark corridor, careful not to disturb anything. Although her bare feet made no sound, she still was cautious as to what she stepped on, for if she was given away; it would be all over. The dark figure she was following was walking briskly through the courtyard, the only source of light that provided the person still there was the moon, casting silver light across the area. As the cloaked person rounded a corner, she took her chances and hurried as quietly as possible out of the shadows and pressed herself against the opposite wall. She paused for a moment so that she could give a little space between him and her. Taking a deep breath, she silently followed him around the corner praying that she wouldn't be found out. <em>

_If this person was who she thought he was, he needed to be stopped-and fast. Already he had done so much damage, and if the madness persisted, chaos wouldn't be far behind. Countless lives could be at stake, and although security had been tightened, she doubted that even the new safety measures would stop him from attacking again. _

_As she rounded the corner, which led to the gardens, she watched as the figure continued walking down the hallway, roofless as it opened up to the starry sky. Tip toeing into the hall, she hid behind one of the many pillars that lined the hallway as to put more distance between her and the stranger, and peaked around to see where he'd head. As he strode though, he continued straight through towards the gardens. _

_For a moment, she contemplated on hurrying back and asking for help, letting the others deal with the intruder. However, a small voice in her head told her to stay, that she'd come this far, and who knew what he'd do if she let him go? She couldn't let him cause any more destruction; and HE couldn't be hurt again, the previous battle had already taken its toll on him although he insisted he was fine. She needed to do this; to protect him, and the others._

_Shaking her head, her decision made, she crept through the hallway towards the gardens where cloaked figure had gone. The sound of rushing water told her she was close, as she entered the lavished gardens through the stone archway. Cautiously she looked around for any sign of the cloaked man. Hesitantly, she stepped into the courtyard and poised herself, ready for an attack. She slowly made her way around the edge of the nearby orchard, checking for anything out of place. She quietly did a quick search of the area, however reminded herself that the gardens were an immense area, and so the intruder could be hiding anywhere. _

_After searching for a little while longer, she sighed and made her way to the grand water fountain in the middle of the courtyard. She stood there for a moment, watching the water trickle into the extravagant pool pondering where he could've gone. Realizing that he might have already exited the gardens, she turned to leave, not willing to give up the search just yet. _

_Suddenly a hand grabbed hers from behind, causing the girl to turn around in terror to face the cloaked man. Chuckling, the figure yanked her closer to him so that she could see his face. Glancing under the hood, her eyes widened in horror as she realized her suspicions were true. "Going somewhere?" the man whispered, as his chuckling grew into full laughter that echoed into the night. She struggled desperately to get free, as his laughter continued, "Not so fast now," he grinned darkly, "First it's time for some fun."_

"Ms. Paige…? Ms. Paige? Are you awake?" came the chauffeur's voice. Blinking tiredly, Paige stirred and opened her eyes as she glanced outside the limousine's window to a dreary rainy day. "Mmm? Yes, yes Carlisle, I'm awake." She smiled sleepily. "Are you sure?" the older man chuckled as he peered at her through his rear mirror, "You seemed to be having quite the nap there. Is everything okay?" Slightly stunned, Paige rubbed the sleep from her eyes and tried to remember what she was dreaming about.

It had been the oddest thing; she was following someone in the dead of night, a suspicious figure from what she recalled, whom she'd suspected to be a dangerous threat to someone. She had tailed the figure for a little while before losing track of them in a vast and lavished garden. After carefully searching for the person, she was just about to continue the search elsewhere when she'd been grabbed from behind. She whirled around to face the person she'd been following, and thought back to the pure terror that stuck her when she saw her captor's face. Suspicions confirmed, it had indeed been whom she feared it was. Although she tried to recall the intruder's face, her mind failed to conjure an image of the perpetrator. The only thing that she could clearly remember was his eyes- the colour of dark violet that seemed to pierce her soul. They had brimmed with anger and hatred as they glared at her; and-she swore that she just imagined it, but it felt like the mysterious figure was blaming **her** for something she did. What it was though, she had no clue.

"_I'm probably just over thinking the whole thing."_ She concluded, _"And besides, it's just a dream right? The stress over trying to find dad and going to this Duelling Expo under Seto's nose must be messing with my sleep."_

"Yes, everything's fine." She replied to Carlisle, the driver, "Just didn't get the best sleep last night, that's all." Carlisle nodded at her as he returned his gaze to the road.

Settling back into the leather seat, Paige focused on watching the passing scenery as she immersed herself in her thoughts. Since she received the invitation from Mokuba to come to the Duelling Expo the previous day, she had immediately packed her bags to head out to Domino City. She had stressed out for hours over what to bring that would suffice for both a Duel Monsters event and the sweltering African climate, as she would be hopping from one to another in a matter of minutes thanks to her generous cousin. Although still wary of Seto discovering their plans, Paige knew that if this was the only way to find her father, than so be it.

Since the duellists who were speaking at the Expo were requested to arrive two days before the actual event opened, Paige was curled up in the back seat of her family's car as she headed for Domino, as the Carter estate was a good three day journey away from the City. Mokuba had told her that upon reaching Domino he'd meet her in an undisclosed location to give her the break down of the Expo. Once the other top duellists arrived, he further explained, they'd all been given exclusive information that was privy to the amateurs attending. What he meant by "exclusive information" she was still unsure about.

Breaking her gaze from the window, Paige turned to look at an object beside her on the seat; her duelling disk. Smiling at it, she ran her fingers over the length of it as that familiar excitement bubbled inside of her. In approximately 72 hours, she'd be able to duel again; meeting new rivals, new friends, helping out beginners and above all, playing a game she had enjoyed. Not only that, but right after she'd be on a plane to Egypt, ready to go search for her father who was alive somewhere out there.

"_I've still got a ways to go dad,"_ she thought as the limo rumbled down the highway, _"it's going to be a bit tricky getting to Egypt, but I am going to get there. Stay strong for me dad, I'll be there soon. I promise, I am never going to give up until I find you. Just sit tight for a little bit longer." _

Turning back to glance out the window, Paige tried to think of happy thoughts of her reuniting with her father. However sleep soon claimed her once again and she couldn't help but think of those angry deep violet eyes as she drifted off, just as a dark maniacal laughter echoed softly in her ears.

* * *

><p><em>Review please- Stay turned for chapter four!<em>


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: I'm really sorry for the extremely long delay. School's been very stressful lately, so it's been hard to find time to work on this. I promise to at least have chapters up once a month from now on. This is a longer chapter than the others as a special treat. Enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Chapter 4<p>

"So everyone is heading to Kaiba Corps' new event? Interesting." Chuckled Bakura as he watched the young Yugi Moto approach his friends, waving the envelope inscribed with the company's famous insignia. Smirking from the shadows of the school yard, the ancient spirit that harnessed the Millennium Ring's ancient power quietly listened as the boy spoke to his friends about the previous day's events. Noting the wide-eyed responses and outcries from the others, it was plain to see that the others would once again join the Pharaoh on another little adventure of theirs. _Pathetic._

"So wait a second, let me get this straight-the Pharaoh thinks that there's something important there? Like something that could help uncover his past?" _Important? The Pharaoh's past?_ Bakura edged closer to the group and strained to hear the conversation between the fools, "Yeah, that's right Tristan. He really thinks that there's going to be something huge there. Something that could help to uncover his memory, or at least tell us more about him." Yugi replied. "Wow," breathed Tea, "What do you think it is?" the boy shrugged, "I don't know honestly, but if the Pharaoh believes that there is something there, than I'm going."

The blonde fool, Joseph grinned, "Yeah, and we'll be right there with you! What do you expect, for us to leave you alone? We're best friends; we do everything for each other! And besides, I'd like to have a few words with that little rich boy about choosing which pros come in. I don't see why he wouldn't let me go and teach kids how to duel! I've had my fair share of experiences! AND, I have tons of wisdom to boot!"

"He probably had good reasoning for that Joey," Tristan sighed, "After all that happened at-" A glare from the blonde stopped him, "Well…maybe he could only have so many pros appear?" he offered instead.

"Humph." Joey scowled as Tea and Yugi attempted to offer words of reassurance. From the shadows, Bakura contemplated what the mortals' conversation meant,"_ Obviously this event has some importance to the Pharaoh. There must be something there that was significant to his life in Egypt, something that could be of use to me. _He smirked,_ "Perhaps I should attend this Expo myself, I'd be interested to know what goes on inside the King of Games' mind. Whatever it is, it could be useful to my plan in time." _The spirit gave a sadistic smirk in thought, before turning to leave the schoolyard, _"Enjoy yourself while you can Pharaoh, soon I will discover what your "important figure" is. And once I do, you will be powerless before me…_

* * *

><p>The journey to Domino City was quite dreary for Paige during the next two days. Rain continued to pour down mercilessly as the limo neared the city. As the skyline began to appear, she felt a jolt of excitement at the thrill of everything she was about to experience. Duelling, mentoring, sneaking behind her cousin's back, and of course, travelling to Egypt to find her father. <em>"So much to do in so little time."<em> She smiled, _"Hopefully everything will go smoothly, and we won't get caught by Seto."_

The main priority right now was to get to the "secret location" Mokuba encouraged her to meet him at. All she had received was an address on a piece of paper, _1344 Imperial Street_. Paige had rarely come to Domino, only on the occasions when Dr. Carter would travel to the museum for business or during a tournament. She never really had the opportunity to explore the thriving metropolis, as she often aided her father with his work. Even during the Duel Monsters tournaments, she rarely explored the city, as often she'd spend hours contemplating on her duelling strategies. Yes, she did need to get a life.

Entering into Domino, her excitement mounted as the limo passed on by the hectic city life. Pressing her hands against the window, Paige glanced wildly around the city taking in all the sights and sounds. It really was a beautiful place, despite the rain. Bright lights flashed around attracting visitors to buy or enter various restaurants and shops, while several scenic routes offered guests a grand tour of the thriving metropolis.

She admired the city for a while longer, before the car turned onto a completely deserted street. It was a pier of some sort, with steel containers lining each side of the road. Blinking in surprise at the sudden change of scenery, Paige turned to the chauffeur, "Hey Carlisle, where are we? Is this the place my cousin asked to meet?" The driver gazed at her through his rear view mirror and nodded, "Yes Ms. We're almost there actually. The address Master Mokuba provided is just up here."

Paige followed his gaze to a small building up ahead. It wasn't anything fancy; just a small bureau of sorts for ships that came in and out of the city. "_Classy meeting place Mokie"_ She chuckled, knowing full well that here they wouldn't be discovered. Pigs would fly to the moon and back before Seto Kaiba strode through a pier for the hell of it.

As the car pulled up to the bureau, a large figure emerged from the shadows and walked towards the limo. Paige heard the "click" of the door locks as the stranger approached. "Be careful Ms." The driver cautioned, narrowing his eyes at the unidentifiable person, "If this is not the man your cousin sent, I have a good mind to drive right out of here and take you straight back home."

"No, please. At least let's see his face." Paige begged, peering through the rain to look at the figure. At the stranger neared the car, she sighed with relief at the sight of the Kaibas' bodyguard Roland. "It's okay Carlisle," she breathed, "It's Roland, Kaiba Corps chief of security!" The burly guard knocked on the window and motioned for Paige to step out. Smiling, she pulled on her jacket and grabbed her duel disk before reaching for the door.

Stepping out into the rain, she gave a cheerful grin at the sight of her relatives' most trusted employee. Giving a slight smile in return, the guard strolled to the back of the limo and pulled out her suitcase from the trunk. As he did so, Paige strode to the driver's window and waved sadly at the glass. Carlisle rolled down the window to greet her, his face full of concern and sorrow. "Now remember Ms. Paige, be very careful on this Duel Monsters Expo-I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you. Watch out for yourself do you hear me?" she nodded obediently, staring into his solemn eyes, "And furthermore, I'd just like to inform you that the rest of the staff, including myself, do not approve of this whatsoever. Personally, I don't even know how you convinced us to let you proceed with this-this-…bizarre quest of yours to go to Egypt. Besides, you could get severely hurt, you could get caught by thieves and held for ransom, you could-" "I'll miss you too Carlisle." Paige whispered softly, before reaching out to give him a long hug goodbye.

As he returned the hug, she couldn't help but feel a pang of regret of what she was leaving behind. She was leaving her family there, the ones she practically grew up and lived with since she could remember. But now, there was no going back.

"Goodbye Ms. Paige." Carlisle smiled sadly, 'I offer my sincerest hopes that you find all that you are looking for. We all look forward to the day that we welcome you home from your journey. Good luck!" he whispered before rolling up the window. As the limo pulled away from the curb, she choked back a sob and waved until the car disappeared in the stormy weather. Now she was alone, and her journey about to begin.

"Come with me Ms. Carter." Roland beckoned as he gestured to the building's door, "Master Kaiba is waiting for you."

* * *

><p>The building was slightly shabby inside, yet cozy and comfortable to Paige, almost like a rustic ski lodge of sorts. It definitely wasn't something one would expect to see on the inside. She glanced around the room, hoping to spot her cousin when-"PAIGE!" howled a voice from her left. Turning, Paige broke out into a wide smile as the young Kaiba brother bolted toward her, "MOKIE!" she squealed as they embraced. "I missed you so much," Mokuba sighed, his voice muffled against her shirt, "It's been so long since you've come to visit." She smiled sadly, and squeezed the boy, "I know," she replied soothingly, "I know. But we are here together now right?" "Right" he laughed, breaking the hug. "Come, sit over here!" he gestured, over to a large cozy couch by a stone fireplace, `There so much I need to tell you!"<p>

Plopping down on the sofa, Paige sighed contently as she stretched her legs and removed her jacket. After quickly drying off the stray rain drops from her duel disk, she laid it gently beside her and turned towards the young Kaiba brother.

"Mokuba, thank you so much for all of this. I-I really appreciate everything that you're doing for me….and…and I know dad would've been grateful for all the support too. Just…." She blinked, revealing to the boy the tears that threatened to fall, "Thank you." She rasped before rubbing her eyes dry.

Mokuba patted her hand and offered a sympathetic smile. It had been hard for the Carter family when Paige's mother had first past away. Even he and his brother Seto were upset with her death once they got the news while their step-father simply brushed off the announcement like it was merely old news.

Meanwhile, Dr. Carter grieved for weeks and barely even left the house at all. Plus with him raising a young daughter on his own, it was no piece of cake either. Since then, Paige had clung to her father, desperate not to loose another parent. She had been heart-broken to have her mother ripped from her and was determined not to be left alone by her father.

"_Thinking about that now, it makes me wonder if he did die,"_ he pondered, _"She was so devastated by her mother's death, that she promised her dad that she would never leave him. But…if he did really…could she be distracting herself from realizing the truth? Going on a wild goose chase like Seto was saying just to prevent the pain and give false hope? Is..is doing all this a..a mistake?"_

"Mokuba? Mokuba? Hey you okay?" Paige cut in, "You seemed to be lost in your own little world for a second there, " she teased, "Everything alright?" The young Kaiba shook his head, "Whoa! Yeah, yeah I'm okay, just..trying to remember everything I need to tell you, that's all!" he replied quickly.

She quirked an eyebrow at him before closing her eyes and releasing a long sigh. "Okay. So,…what is going on with this Expo? What this "secret information" that's exclusive to the pro duellists?" she questioned as she opened her eyes, the brown depths ablaze with the anticipation.

"Alright," Mokuba began, making himself more comfortable, "Here's how the breakdown is going to go; the other top pro duellists will be arriving two days before the actual tournament, since they need to prepare what they are going to speaking about etc..like basic combo strategies, defence techniques, that kind of thing. Each duellist will talk about their speciality, got it?" he asked. She nodded, "So, like basically teaching them how to play a children's card game?" she smiled. He laughed, "Not exactly! See it's more like offering methods to help improve their strategies and strengthen their decks. Like I said, each duellist will put their own spin on how one should handle certain situations, tricks, ways to make good comebacks, that kind of thing. Now, on the night before the Expo officially opens, Seto will meet with all of the pros for a meeting, an EXCLUSIVE meeting." He emphasized.

"Ah! So what is this "exclusive information"?" she eagerly asked, curious for what the big surprise to this tournament was. "Well, it'll begin by him giving the break-down of the schedule, who's speaking about what, that boring kind of thing. BUT, see the "mentoring" part of the Expo is only two of the four days. The other two days will be a mini tournament between all the most improved duellists against the pros. They get to try their new techniques on the best of the best."

"Wait-how do you determine the most improved duellists?" Paige interrupted. "It's simple," her cousin continued, "See, the third day will be a mini-tournament between all of the amateurs to determine the top 6 finalists. There will be a time limit to how long a duel can proceed-the one with the most life points wins if the duel's not over. The fourth day will be the final duels between the finalists and the pros. The amateurs will climb up the ranks of the pros to reach the ultimate goal; facing off against the King of Games."

Paige gasped, "YUGI MOTO IS GOING TO BE THERE? She shrieked. Mokuba winced as he rubbed his ears. "_Huh-that scream didn't scream "fan girl" at all." _

She sighed, "Sorry cuz, I'm just a huge fan of him. He's been a role model for me ever since Duelist Kingdom. I'd do anything just to meet with him. Even more to duel him." She smiled at the thought of her facing off against her favourite duellist. Even just the chance would be amazing.

He chuckled, "Should've told me that before, I could've introduced him to you easily." She rounded on her cousin, shocked, 'Anyway, back to the exclusive content of the Expo," Mokuba reminded, attempting to steer the conversation back on track, "See, in all honestly, it's not very likely that an amateur will make it that far, so if they are all gone, than the pros will face off against one another for a shot against Yugi. Whoever makes it to the top face off will get to have a crack at him, AND a shot at a new exclusive, prize."

Blinking in surprise, Paige's voice dropped to a whisper, "What is the prize?" He smiled, "It's a new exclusive card that Pegasus and Seto developed together. It's so rare that they've only made one because it's so powerful, and, it is a mix between the Blue Eyes White Dragon and Red Eyes Black Dragon. It's based on an ancient craving Pegasus found whenever he found the Egyptian God cards. Paige…," he breathe in awe, "It has abilities and powers that no card has ever had before. It's…it's amazing. I really can't describe it…."

Paige couldn't find the words to speak. Part of her wanted to scream out, _"ALL THIS "EXCLUSIVE INFORMATION" IS FOR THE SAKE OF A FREAKING CARD? IS SETO ON DRUGS?"_ while the other half was in awe at the possibility of actually facing off against Yugi, should no amateurs make it. And that card Mokuba talked about, he did seem to make it to be quite the catch. "Mokie, what is the card called?" she asked in a hushed whisper. Her cousin turned to her with a dreamy expression, obviously still in awe of the card's power. "It's….it's called the Guardian of the Abyss."

* * *

><p><em>Three days later…<em>

"It's called the Guardian of the Abyss, and it is the top prize in the tournament half of the Expo." Seto announced to the table of professional duellists before him. Murmurs erupted around the room as the people craned their necks to get a glimpse of the legendary card clasped firmly in Kaiba's hand. He smirked at the expressions of longing and awe on each face as they gazed at the dragon card. Rumours had been flying around for months surrounding the development of the Guardian, some claimed it to be simply a myth while others strongly advocated that the production was true. Lately the controversy had died down, up until today where he proudly unveiled the grand prize in the Expo.

"So, ladies and gentlemen, we all understand what will be happening these next couple of days?" Seto questioned his audience. Nods and mumbles of agreement were heard from all over the room, save for one.

"Wait! Mr. Kaiba I have a question!" A preppy young boy squeaked, waving his arm like mad. "Yes?" Seto nodded, in a bored tone as he crossed his arms, expecting a childish inquiry.

"Mr. Kaiba, you have the top duellist, Yugi Moto here," he gestured to the King of Games, offering him a warm smile, "and you, as the second top duellist are also here," he pointed at Kaiba, "but where is the third top duellist, Paige Carter? Shouldn't she be here as well?" Kaiba tensed as the name was mentioned, temporarily speechless.

Meanwhile another breakout occurred as people began questioning the girl's absence, "She should be here!" "A very talented duellist, she could offer tons of advice to the young competitors!" "I wonder why she's not here, possibly an illness?" "No, I heard that she was gone to Egypt. A vacation or something. She might be going to an international tournament, however I was never informed of one being held there this year." "But she always comes to these events-she's third right behind Mr. Kaiba! She'd never miss this!"

Seto sighed as he tried to regain his cool. "Listen up!" he called, silencing the room. Nearby Yugi quietly observed Kaiba as he prepared to address the crowd. Compared to how he usually was, Kaiba was extremely agitated. In all the years Yugi had known him, he had never seen Seto act like this. _"Why did that boy's question make him so..so nervous?"_ Yugi wondered.

"Listen up!" Seto called again to the group. "Paige Carter will not be participating in this tournament due to…_personal_ reasons. She will **not** be attending the Duelling Expo. No further questions."

"But Sir!" the boy exclaimed, "She's the third top ranking! She must be here! And besides Mr. Kaiba, isn't she your cousi-" "ENOUGH!" Kaiba shouted, "I said no more questions! She will not be attending and that is final. This meeting is dismissed. I will see you all in the morning." With that, he strode out of the room, leaving an icy chill in his absence. The duellists glanced at each other shell-shocked by their organiser's outburst. Normally Seto Kaiba always kept his cool, never shouted or anything. Yet why did any mention of his cousin cause him to act like that?

"You heard Mr. Kaiba, the meeting is ajurned." Roland called to the group, "Please exit through here." He gestured to a door as the contestants filed through.

As the duellists dispersed to their rooms in the Kaiba Land hotel, part of the amusement park which would hold the Expo the following day, Yugi slipped away to contemplate the surprising turn of events.

Walking out towards the outdoor gardens, he strode over towards a bench underneath a large topical palm tree. "I wonder what got him so worked up." He breathed out loud, "Kaiba never acts like that, so why did her name cause him to act like that?" His thoughts were interrupted when he heard someone call his name.

"Yugi! Yugi!" "Over here Yug!" glancing up, he smiled as he caught sight of his friends and grandpa heading towards him. "Hey guys!" he grinned as the group approached. "Hey Yugi! How did it go?" asked Tea smiling also. "Yeah, and what was that big prize that everyone's talking about?" Tristan added. "Well…" Yugi began, "It was really good, but…something happened to Kaiba at the end of the presentation." "Something happened? Like what he finally realized how much of a selfish rich boy he can be?" teased Joey. "Was he upset?" Solomon asked.

"Well, yes and no." Yugi sighed, "See, here's what happened…"

* * *

><p>"Umm…Mokuba, are you SURE no one will suspect me?" Paige questioned as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. "I thought you said that Seto wouldn't be overseeing a lot of the Expo. I thought he was more "behind the scenes" as you put it." "He is." Mokuba stated as he adjusted Paige's disguise, "But the plan has changed slightly, so this will help protect your identity."<p>

Paige groaned as she watched her reflection. Mokuba's idea of a disguise was masquerading her as a boy. She had to trade her skinny jeans for baggy cargo pants, and favourite hoodie for an over-sized button down green plaid shirt. Her cousin had lent her a pair of skateboard shoes and a baseball cap to hide her hair. A pair of aviators covered her eyes, leaving her as Mokuba put it "just like one of the guys." _Fantastic._

"Trust me Paige. Even if you do accidentally run into Seto, he won't recognise you. I can't even tell it's you-and I helped you put this on!" He laughed, "No one will suspect a thing." She sighed, "Okay. And, as soon as this Expo is over, no matter what happens, you'll help me get to Egypt?" he nodded, "Of course! It's already planned out-the moment that you leave the tournament, I'll have a helicopter ready for you!"

She nodded, "Okay, thanks cuz." She smiled, "So, think I'm ready?" she asked, doing her best "guy" pose. Mokuba laughed, "Absolutely! Everyone's already had the briefing, and I've already given it to you, so you've missed nothing. Go out there and mingle with the others. Try to draw as little suspicion as possible. Oh! And your name in the Expo is registered as Caleb Green, okay?" she gave him a fake salute, "Yes Sir!"

"Alright than, you're all ready! I'll see you in a bit!"

"See you Mokie!" She waved as she opened her hotel door to leave, "Talk to you later!" "Bye Pai-er Caleb!" Mokuba called as she shut the door.

Taking a deep breath, Paige glanced at her surroundings. Noises were coming from the right, where the pro duellists' lounge was. _"Maybe I'll go and try to make friends there"_ she thought as she took tentive steps towards the luxurious lounge, _"Time to introduce "Caleb" to the other duellists!"_

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><p>"Wait, so rich boy FLIPPED, like actually finally lost his marbles?" Joey asked in disbelief, "He's finally lost his cool?" Back in the garden, Yugi shook his head, "Not really, just for a moment. But after the kid asked about his cousin, for a second he tensed up, before yelling she wasn't coming and never to ask about her again."<p>

The group paused in thought as they tried to determine the reason for Kaiba's actions. "Well," Tea began, "They _are_ related. Maybe something between them happened and he's still upset about it?"

Solomon nodded, "It is quite possible. The Kaibas and the Carters haven't gotten along since Gozaburo's sister, Anastasia left to marry William Carter-a world renowned archaeologist. Kaiba's step-father was furious when she left, and she said quite a few things about her brother that he didn't like at all. In fact, the families never talked until Seto and Mokuba were adopted. Anastasia took pity on the boys and somehow, though no one knows exactly how, was able to get them to spend a couple of weeks at the Carter's mansion.

Paige would've been a couple of years old at the time. Supposedly they all got along splendidly and didn't want to leave. Even Anastasia and Will tried to get them to stay. However Gozaburo was furious how she let them have fun rather than focus on their studies. He took them away and cracked down severely on Seto's studies, never letting him rest. Perhaps he resents the only family that he cared about for not coming to his rescue, or his step-father may have caused him to believe the Carters never cared for him at all. There are many possibilities.

"How do you know this Grandpa?" Yugi questioned, surprised at how much his grandfather knew of the families' dispute. "William Carter was a dear friend and colleague of mine for a long time." Solomon smiled as he thought of his old friend, "I considered him to one of the best archaeologists of our time, though he always insisted he wasn't. He was a very modest man, who deeply cared about his family." The older man sighed, "And his daughter definitely has his spirit. It surprises me that she didn't try to come to the Expo despite Kaiba's announcement."

"Wow." Tristan breathed, "That's too bad. It sounds like they were really close. And besides, Paige is the third top-ranking duellist. She should be here anyways, regardless of anything Kaiba says."

"Well supposedly, she couldn't come for "personal" reasons as he put it." Yugi explained, "but I'm not sure I believe him." "Hmmph." Joey snorted, "Well, let's go ask him. I'd like to get a few answers about this. Besides, I need to have a few words with that rich boy. Like why I didn't get invited to be with the pros at this Expo! I mean come on! I'm talented, got lots of advice to offer, AND, I'm a pretty good-looking guy to boot! Who wouldn't want me at this event?" he stretched his arms and tucked them behind his head, "what are you guys waiting for? Come on let's go!" he beckoned as he began to head towards the exit.

"Wait Joey!" Yugi exclaimed, "Kaiba didn't want to answer any questions about her, and besides I don't think he'd-" "COME ON!" Joey laughed as he grabbed his best friend's arm and strode through the gardens, "I think he might be down this way!"

"Joey! What are you doing?" Tea called as she, Grandpa and Tristan raced to catch up, "Wait up! Wait for us!"

* * *

><p>Paige was impressed with the Pros' lounge. Large French windows opened the space giving it a large and airy feel, while several comfy couches and chairs were artfully displayed all over the room. A snack bar was against one wall filled with all sorts of drinks and food that one have-all free of charge for the professionals. Book cases lined one half of the walls, while another opened up to give a breath-taking view of the sea-side. A large flat screen television stretched one half of a wall, while a beautiful chandelier hung in the center of the room. <em>"It's gorgeous in here."<em> She thought as she walked further into the room, _"Seto's really outdone himself with this hotel. No wonder it has a five-star rating."_

Walking further into the room, she took another minute to marvel in the splendour of the lounge. She'd definitely love to relax here, stretched out on the comfy couch while watching the live converge of the Expo when she wasn't speaking. _"I just hope I don't run into Seto during this event."_ She mused.

As if to answer her question, two double French doors burst open as dozens of reporters flaked around a figure. Cameras flashed and people shoved one another to get a better look at the central figure. "And this here is the Duellists' lounge, where the professional duellists have the chance to relax or prepare for their speeches." Explained a voice. A voice that Paige knew only too well. A voice that belonged to-

"Mr. Kaiba! Mr. Kaiba! Are the stories of the tournament prize true? Is it a brand new ultra rare card? Will Yugi Moto be attending the Expo? Is your cousin, Paige Carter here?"

As the reporters swarmed the figure, Roland appeared and parted the crowd to give Seto a little space. Her gut wrenched as she watched her greatest fear stand in front of her. At the mention of her name, Seto's eyes had flashed as he remained completely still. Paige, frozen with shock, stared at her cousin, desperately praying he wouldn't recognise her in her disguise. "Paige Carter," began Seto in a loud, clear voice as if he knew that she could hear him, "Will not be coming to this tournament. She has _personal_ matters to attend to. And if she did set foot in this Expo, I assure you, she would not be here for long." As he spoke, he raised his head and looked directly at Paige. Her eyes widened beneath her sunglasses, as she felt as if he saw right through her and her plan, that he had caught her red-handed. She stood stock-still, paralyzed with fear.

"Mr. Kaiba! A photograph please!" a reporter called. As Seto turned towards the photographer, Paige snapped, as if in a dream. She turned on her heel and ran. She sped out of the room as fast as she could, desperate to escape. He couldn't discover her, he had to still believe she was at home. He couldn't, he just couldn't…She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, determined to get as far away from him as possible. _"Keep running Paige. Just keep running."_

* * *

><p>"I think he's down here guys!" Joey called as he dragged Yugi behind him. "I hear noises like reporters coming from this way! Kaiba must be doing interviews or something!" "Joey, I understand that you want to talk to Kaiba but he might not-HEY LOOK OUT!" Yugi called suddenly. "Huh? Yug what are you talking about?" Joey asked, looking at his friend in confusion. "JOEY!" Tea screamed. "LOOK OUT MAN!" Tristan yelled. Joey turned just in time to see a figure flying at full speed towards him before-<p>

CRASH! BOOM! BANG!

Joey, Yugi, and the figure tumbled to the ground rolling and tossing in the air before collapsing on the ground in a messy pile. "Are you guys okay?" Tea gasped as she and Tristan ran over to help the boys up. "Yeahh, we're okay," Joey groaned as Tristan helped him up, "But this yahoo knocked us over!" he gestured to the person on the ground in front of them. "He gave me a splitting headache!"

"He might be hurt though Joey, I don't think he's moving." Yugi replied as he bent down to examine the unconscious person. The figure was clad in a green plaid shirt and baggy cargo pants, with a hat and sunglasses covered most of their face. "Excuse me, hey are you okay?" Yugi asked, gently trying to wake the figure, "Hello? Are you okay? Can you hear me?" "Here, maybe if we help him to sit up a little bit," Tristan offered, kneeling down and slipping an arm around the person's shoulder, "Maybe that'll help." As he gently hoisted the figure into a sitting position, the person moaned and moved their head. As they did so, the sunglasses and ball cap, shaken by the movement, fell off the person's face.

The group gasped. "It's…it's a girl." Tea whispered, taking in the girl's long brown hair and delicate face. "Yeah, and it's not just any girl," Yugi agreed, assisting Tristan as he helped him to get the girl into a sitting position, "It's Paige Carter."

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><p><em>Finally they meet Paige! Stay tuned to see what happens next! I promise i will have chapters updated more often from now on! Read and review please! Comments and suggestions are always welcome!<em>


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